Adjustable holding device



u y 1953 w. H. DRAPER, JR

ADJUSTABLE HOLDING DEVICE Filed July 19, 1952 Patented July 28, 1953ADJUSTABLE HOLDING DEVICE William H. Draper, J r., Watertown, Mass.

Application July 19, 1952, Serial No. 299,869

Claims.

This invention relates to an adjustable, holding device, particularlyone to hold flower vases or flower pots.

One object of my invention is to provide such a device that will holdany size or shape of vase or similar article firmly while it is carried,to thus prevent it falling over. Since vases are commonly delivered fullof flowers, and are thus top heavy, it often happens that they fall overwhile being transported in a vehicle, or while a person is carryingthem, thus damaging the contents. Accordingly, it has been my object toprovide a simple and relatively inexpensive device suitable to firmlyhold vases or the like in upright position while being transported.

Another object is to provide a construction that permits quick and easyadjustment to accommodate various sizes of articles to be held, and issimple mechanically to adjust, so that its use is obvious withoutspecial instruction.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of theinvention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction,combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by thedrawings. The nature of the invention is such as to render itsusceptible to various changes and modifications, and therefore, I amnot to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawings nor tothe particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled toall such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my adjustable holding device.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line .";3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure l.

As illustrated, my holding device has an outer receptacle [0 having abottom l2, and four sides, the two longer sides, as shown, being giventhe numeral I4, and the two shorter ones, It. Tips l8 attached to saidbottom [2 protect and elevate the latter in the usual way.

Reinforcing membersZEl form part of and abut the upper portion of eachsaid side 16 and extend inwardly therefrom, being adhesively connectedthereto or otherwise attached, and being spaced from said bottom. Theseside members 20 serve to keep vases or flower pots, or other articlesbeing held by my device from bearing directly against said outermostside members It.

Outer supporting rails 22 are attached to and form part of said sides l4and extend the full length between said reinforcing members 20, beingconnected or otherwise attached thereto. Each said supporting rail 22has a groove 24 formed therein intermediate the top and bottom,extending lengthwise of said rails 22. These grooves 24 commence at theinner side surfaces of said rails 22 and extend laterally outward partway through them.

Inner supporting rails 25 are spaced as at 2'! laterally from said outersupporting rails 22, and

bars 36, two being shown, which span said rails and extend to said longsides 14, as shown. Eachbar 39 has two holes 32 therethrough at oppositeend portions to accommodate two retaining means 33 for said cross bars.The latter, as shown, each has a bolt 34 extending through a said hole32 and entering a said space '21. A slide member 36 in the form of awasher,

as shown, forms part of said retaining means 33 resting on the head ofthe lower portion of said .bolt 34, each said washer extending across asaid space 2? and into a pair of adjoining said grooves 24 and 28,.thereby providing a sliding support for said cross bars 30.

Immediately above said washer 36 is a nut 38, which is located higherthan said grooves 24 and 28, and which slidably fits in said space 21.This nut 38 serves as a guide member, assuring that the movement of saidcross bar as will be even. Resting on top of a said cross bar 30 andover said bolt 34, in each instance, is a washer 48, and abovethe'latter is a locking member in the form, as shown, of a wing nut 42which screw-threadedly connects with said bolt 34. When tightened thesenuts 42 hold said cross bars 30 fixedly in a predetermined position,and, when loosened, permit said bars to be slid to any desired position.

Tohold .a vase with flowers, for instance, or other article, in myholding device, it is first inserted in the space between a said crossbar 30 and a said reinforcing, side member 2|, resting on the bottom,and two said wing nuts 42, for a cross bar, are loosened. Then saidcross bar 1s slid along the top of saidrails 22 until it contacts theside of the vase, or other article to be held, and said wing nuts $2 aretightened. Where two vases are to be carried the same steps may be takenas to the other said cross bar 30.

Of course, a larger holding device with more cross bars could besimilarly provided to carry more vases than two, or a device with asingle cross bar could be made to carry one vase.

What I claim is:

1. A holding devicesv comprising a. receptacle embodying a bottom andsides extending upwardly therefrom, two of said sides having;

grooves therein intermediate the top and bottom thereof and extendinglengthwise; two rail members spaced laterally inward, from. said twogrooved sides and having grooves therein intermediate the top and bottomthereof and extending lengthwise parallel with and opposite. the;

first-mentioned grooves, cross bars On top of 'said rail members and twoof said sides, and a plurality of retaining means mounted on. saidcrossbars, each embodying'a' slide" member" extending across a saidspace'betweena said rail member and grooved side and'intoa'pairofsaid'grooves,

and embodying locking'membersjadaptedto hold said retaining means infixed position;

2. A holding. device comprising a receptacle embodying a bottom andsides extending upwardly therefrom, two oisaid sides'having groovestherein intermediate thetop and bottomithereof and extending lengthwise,two rail members spaced laterally, inward from said two grooved sidesand having grooves therein intermediate the top and bottom thereof and;extending lengthwise parallel with andopposite thefirst-menticnedgrooves, a cross bar on top of said rail members and two of said sides,and retaining means mounted. on said cross bars and embodying a slidemember each extending acrossa .saidspace between a said rail memberandgrooved side and into a pairoisaid grooves, and embodying a look:- ingmember .to hold said retaining means in fixed position.

3.v A. holdingv device comprising a receptacle embodying a bottom andsides extending upwardly therefrom, two outer supporting rails extendinglengthwise between oppositely. disposed said sides and attached theretoand eachzhaving'a groove therein extending lengthwise; thereofintermediatethe top and. bottom from-the inner ide edge. laterallyoutward part way into said rails, twoinner supporting rails spacedlaterally inwardfromsaid.outersupporting rails and attached to saidoppositely disposed sidestandeach having a. groove. therein extendinglengthwise parallel with the.firstementionedgrooye of said outer railand intermediate the top and bottom from the outer. side. edge laterallyinward" part way into said inner rail, across bar restingon saidsupporting rails and extending across:them and having two holesextending downwardly therethrough, and. a plurality of retaining meansto slidably hold said cross bar in position on said rails. eachembodying a bolt extending through said hole and into said space betweenan inner and outer supporting rail, a sliding member'on said bolt andslidably extending into a pair'of said inner and outer supporting railgrooves opposite each other, and a nut screw-threadedly connected tosaid'bolt and. above said crossbar and adapted, when tightened; tofixedly holdsaid cross bar in predetermined position.

4. A holding device comprising a receptacle embodying a bottom and aplurality of sides extending upwardly therefrom, reinforcingmembers atthe upper portion of and attached to two of said sides opposite eachother extending inwardly, two outer supporting rails spaced from saidbottom extending lengthwise between said reinforcing members andattached thereto and each having a groove therein extending lengthwisethereof intermediate the top and bottom from the inner side edgelaterally outward part way into saiderails, two inner supporting railsspaced from said bottom and spaced laterally inward from said outersupporting rails and attached to two of said side reinforcing membersand each having a groove therein extending lengthwise parallel with thefirst-mentioned groove of said outer rail and intermediate the top andbottom from the outer side edge laterally inward part way into saidinner rail, a cross bar resting. on said supporting rails and extendingacross them and having two holes at opposite end portions, extendingdownwardly therethrough, and a plurality of retaining means to slidablyhold said cross bar in position on said rails/each embodying a boltextending through said hole and into said space between an inner outersupporting rail, a sliding member on said bolt and slidably extendinginto a pair of said inner and outer supporting rail grooves oppositeeach other, and a nut screw-threadedly connected'to said bolt adapted,when tightened, to fixedly hold said cross bar in predeterminedposition.

5. A holding device comprising a receptacle embodying a bottom and'foursides extending upwardly therefrom, reinforcing members at the upperportionof'and attached to two of said sides opposite each otherextending inwardly and being spaced from the said bottom, two outersupporting'rails extending lengthwise between saidreinforcing membersand attached thereto and each having a groove therein extendinglengthwise thereof intermediate the top and bottom fromthe'innerside-edge laterally outward part way into said rails, two innersupporting'rail's spaced laterally inward from said outer supportingrails and attached to two of said side reinforcing members and eachhaving a groove therein extending lengthwise parallel with" thefirst-mentioned groove of said outer rail and-intermediate the top andbottom from the outerside edge laterally inward part way intosaid'innerrail, across bar resting on said supporting rails and extending acrossthem and having two holes extending downwardly therethrough, and aplurality of retaining means to slidablyhold said cross bar inpositionon said rails each embodying a bolt extending through saidholeand into said space between an inner and outer supporting rail, asliding member on said bolt and slidably extending into a pair of saidinner and outer supporting rail grooves opposite each other, a nut abovesaid sliding member and higher than said grooves and movable within thespace between, and laterally opposite, an inner and outer supportingrail, a washer above said cross bar and resting thereon, and a nutscrew-threadedly connected to said bolt adapted, when tightened tofixedly hold said cross bar in predetermined position.

WILLIAM H. DRAPER, JR.

References- Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 714,069 Wagner Nov. 18, 1902 999,847 Oelkers- Aug. 8,1911 2,325,231 Curtis July 2'7, 1943 was

